Scoring 138 seconds into his debut, Marcus Rashford becomes the
youngest player to score on his England debut, aged 18 years, 209
days, as well as breaking the previous record of 22 first team
appearances before appearing for the National side, having only
appeared in eighteen.Chris Smalling became the sixth different
captain used in 2015-16, a new record. He is also the ninth used by
Hodgson, equalling the record set by Ron Greenwood.Wayne Rooney
extends his record tally of goals.

After
just two minutes of this match it was almost a disaster for Fraser Forster
in the England goal.His clearance was charged down by an
Australian forward and the ball could easily have ended up in the back of
the net.Luckily for the keeper the ball fell
kindly for him to pick it up.Then, ironically, from Forster's
eventual clearance, England scored.

Raheem Sterling received possession on the left from
18-year-old debutant Marcus Rashford, and his centre flipped up off the
back of Bailey Wright and dropped invitingly for the new boy to lash the
ball past Matthew Ryan, in goal for the Aussies.Rashford unbelievable
last few months took yet another remarkable turn as he became the youngest
England player to score on his debut.The lively start
continued and two minutes later Ryan Bertrand made a terrific block to
deny Robbie Kruse an equaliser.England then struggled
to clear the corner and it had been a mixed up, nervous sort of start to
the match.

On seven minutes Kruse shot over after more good play by
Australia and England were taking a while to settle into the match.On 14 minutes though a
swift breakaway gave them a chance of a second goal.Sterling was sent away
with a long pass and his pass found Rashford again.This time though the
Manchester United youngster's control let him down and the ball ran
through for a goal-kick.Australia looked a
strong and accomplished side, well-organised and very determined in what
was a big match for them.Tomas Rogic shot wide
after a swift break and at the back Australia's defenders had recovered
from their difficult start.Bertrand made another
good interception as Australia threatened again and the visitors were
certainly seeing plenty of the ball.Having said all that,
despite their large chunks of possession Australia rarely threatened
Forster's goal.

Just on the half hour mark some
clever passing saw Rashford set up Lallana but the keeper was quickly down
to make the save.Two England corners in
quick succession were cleared but then Bertrand did well to set up Jordan
Henderson from another corner and the Liverpool player's excellent effort
brought the best out of Ryan as he managed to tip the shot over the bar.In the last five minutes
of the half there were signs that England were gaining momentum and they
ended the half on top.

After the break Roy Hodgson
brought on Wayne Rooney and played him as an out and out centre-forward.The skipper was soon
scampering on to a long ball over the top, but this time his control let
him down.England made a bright
start to the half and put pressure on the Australian back line, but with
Preston North End's Wright having a very steady game, the defence coped
well.Then, at the other end,
Kruse was caught just offside as he threatened to break clear of the
England defenders.Aaron Mooy was doing
some excellent work for the Australians in midfield, and in one attack
Rogic again shot over from a good position.But a minute later, a
fine break by England gave them a second goal.

Ten minutes of the second half
had elapsed when from deep inside their own half the ball was cleared
towards Rashford.His clever dummy allowed
the ball to run through to Sterling who sprinted away down the left.The winger looked up and
spotted the unmarked Rooney in the inside-right position.The pass was perfect,
Rooney's first touch was perfect, and the finishing shot gave Ryan no
chance as it flew into the right hand top corner.It was a very well taken
goal for Rooney's 52nd international strike, and his first after coming on
as a substitute.

Two minutes later and Sterling
was sprinting clear down the left again but this time he ran the ball out
under challenge from a defender.At the back for England
the welcome sight of John Stones looking much more assured after his
recent stuttering form was
very good news for Hodgson.Stones played well
alongside the ever-reliable Chris Smalling, and Nathaniel Clyne, too, was
in fine form at right-back.On the hour England so
nearly scored again as a good move ended with Rashford driving the ball
across goal.Unfortunately Rooney
couldn't quite make the decisive touch as he was challenged by a defender.That was almost
Rashford's last contribution as he left the field to a huge round of
applause to be replaced by Ross Barkley.

A number of substitutions, by
both sides, were carried out by the managers but chances continued to fall
at both ends.Rooney pulled the ball
back and eventually Clyne hit a screamer just over the crossbar, whilst at
the other end substitute Christopher Ikonomidis headed wide.That was Australia's
problem as, although their approach play was good, their finishing was
poor.Forster hardly had a
save to make, but then on 75 minutes, came a lifeline for the Australians.After
a good England attack, some intricate close passing gave James Milner a
chance but his low shot just curled wide.Immediately, Hodgson
replaced Smalling with Eric Dier and with his first touch the Tottenham
defender opened up the game.Mooy fed Milas Degenek
out wide on the right, and he put in a tantalising cross.Instead of using his
feet Dier decided to stoop low to head the ball clear.Unfortunately he
actually only succeeded in glancing a header past his own goalkeeper.It was a 'fine' goal,
but at the wrong end!

Australia sensed a chance to
gain an unlikely draw, but to be fair to England, and to Dier, they
quickly regained their composure and they saw the game out quite
comfortably.In fact, it was England
who looked the more likely to score.A lively cameo by
substitute Andros Townsend set up a couple of chances and Rooney was
almost in for another goal.A late debut for
substitute Tom Heaton in goal for England just managed to give him a short
feel of international football, but he was untroubled in those remaining
minutes and England won the match with no further alarms.

It was a good game though, and all credit to a spirited Australia team,
but now England move on to their final warm-up match before the real
action starts for them on June 11th in Marseille.